Rupert Hogg, the CEO of Cathay Pacific, has voiced his unhappiness with Boeing’s delays in the development and delivery of the Boeing 777X. He has openly chastised the business for missing deadlines and technical difficulties, highlighting the effects these failures have had on the aviation sector, especially for carriers like Cathay Pacific that have invested heavily in the 777X.
Hogg has also called for greater transparency from Boeing regarding the delivery schedule for the 777X and the precise causes of the delays.
At first, Cathay Pacific anticipated receiving its first Boeing 777-9 aircraft in 2025. Boeing has delayed the delivery schedule until 2026.
Hogg emphasized how important reliable supply timetables are for airlines to efficiently organize their operations and avoid service interruptions.
Although Cathay Pacific has been a longtime Boeing customer and has flown a sizable fleet of 777 aircraft, the delays in the 777X program have sparked questions about Boeing’s ability to meet the changing needs of the airline sector.
Which other airlines might have experienced these delays?
The exact delivery dates of the Boeing 777X to different airlines in 2025 and 2026 are not made public, although it was expected that a number of major carriers will be the recipients. These include the Lufthansa Group, which consists of Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines, and Austrian Airlines, as well as Emirates Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Air India, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Etihad Airways, Korean Air, British Airways, Cargolux, Ethiopian Airlines, and Silk Way West Airlines.
Boeing has received approximately 641 orders for the 777-9, 777-8, and 777-8F aircraft.
Emirates, a renowned operator of the Boeing 777 family, has placed significant orders for the 777X and plans to receive its first deliveries in the upcoming years. Another significant player in the aviation sector, Qatar Airways, has also placed large orders for the 777X, with initial deliveries expected to occur in a similar timeframe.
Even though executives with two 777-9 launch customers, Emirates Airline and Lufthansa, expressed concern that they might not receive the jets until 2026, Boeing Chief Financial Officer Brian West stated during an investor conference on May 23 that the company still anticipates its 777-9 will go into service in 2025.
Carsten Spohr, the CEO of the Lufthansa Group, expressed similar worries about the timeline at the IATA AGM in May.
”Offically the delivery is still in 2025, at least for Lufthansa being the launch customer. And of course unless Boeing changes, that’s the information we use,” he says.
Due to Boeing’s numerous contractual shortcomings, Emirates Airlines “has had to make significant and highly expensive amendments to our fleet programs,” according to a statement released by the airline’s president, Sir Tim Clark, in October 2024. Considering Boeing’s current situation, he added, he couldn’t see how Boeing could “make any meaningful forecasts of delivery dates.”
Emirates’ fleet is based on the Airbus A380 double-decker, which is no longer in production, and the Boeing 777. The airline president has been forced to carry out a comprehensive and expensive refurbishment program on existing aircraft in order to prolong their lifespan.
There have been major delays in the Boeing 777X development. Boeing said in October that the first 777X deliveries will not take place until at least 2026, despite the aircraft’s first 2020 delivery date. This delay, which is at least six years longer than the initial timeline, will significantly disrupt the fleet planning of the airlines waiting for these aircraft.
Boeing announced that it will delay the 777X until 2026, terminating the 767 commercial freighter program in 2027, and shed 17,000 jobs, or 10% of the workforce.
Due mostly to its complex design and new features, such as foldable wingtips, the Boeing 777X program has faced significant delays and challenges. These technologies have taken longer to develop and test than initially expected, and the COVID-19 epidemic has made matters worse. In addition to stopping manufacturing, the worldwide health crisis had a major effect on supply networks and delayed crucial testing procedures. Additionally, the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX put further strain on the company’s resources, drawing attention away from the 777X program. A recent strike by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers significantly delayed the production schedule.
As a result, Boeing has experienced severe financial consequences, including a massive $6.5 billion write-off associated with the 777X aircraft.
The question is whether Airbus can meet the demand.
The A350-1000 is a formidable rival of Airbus and is frequently likened to the 777X. Despite its competence, the A350-1000 may not fully meet the 777X’s intended role of providing high-capacity, ultra-long-haul aircraft.
Although both the Airbus A350-1000 and the Boeing 777X are cutting-edge wide-body aircraft intended for long-haul travel, they differ greatly in terms of production capacity, range, and fuel efficiency. Because of its larger passenger capacity—it can carry up to 426 people in two classes—the 777X is especially well-suited for airlines that must carry a lot of people on lengthy flights. On the other hand, the A350-1000 can accommodate up to 480 passengers and normally seats 315–369 people. The 777X, particularly the 777-8 model, boasts a maximum range of approximately 7,285 nautical miles, making it ideal for even longer-haul flights. In contrast, the A350-1000 has an astounding maximum range of 8,700 nautical miles. Although both airplanes are known for their fuel efficiency, the 777X is anticipated to have better fuel economy because of its cutting-edge design elements and technology. Fuel consumption for the A350-1000 is about 32 pounds per nautical mile, but the 777-9 uses about 48 pounds per nautical mile. Airlines frequently take fuel burn per passenger into account when assessing efficiency, even if raw fuel consumption estimates vary. The lighter composite structure of the A350-1000 adds to its overall efficiency and cost benefits. Another crucial area where Airbus can see limitations if demand for the A350-1000 spikes is production capacity. This might make it more difficult for them to deliver airplanes on time. On the other hand, Airbus has a solid reputation for building high-quality aircraft, and it may be able to efficiently ramp up production to satisfy demand.
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